Mangrove is a wooden plant community that tolerates
brine which grows mainly in along protected coastal area, especially along the
bay or in the estuaries or lagoons. Mangrove ecosystem is one of coastal area
ecosystem that has a role in ecology or biology, economy, tourism and physic.
In ecology or biology, mangrove ecosystem has a role to maintain the stability
of productivity and availability in biological resources of coastal area. This
is due to mangrove ecosystem is also a nursery ground and spawning ground for
several types of aquatic biota such as shrimp, fish and clam as well as wild
sanctuary life.
Mangrove is known as a supplier of nutrient and food for
plankton. Economically, mangrove ecosystem is a productive fishing ground such
as fingerling, fish, shrimp and another biota. Besides that, Mangrove also
produces other products like wood, dye, food, honey, medicine, cosmetic, etc.
Reviewed from tourism aspect, mangrove ecosystem has a high value of tourism as
an object and natural attraction, education and science. While reviewed from
physical role, mangrove ecosystem has a role to trap and hold sediment, reduces
coastal storm and wave energy, controls erosion, neutralizing liquid waste so
it can protect the sea from pollution.
Extensive mangrove forests in Bali on 2012 are 2.215,5
ha, spreads out in five regencies and cities. The spread of mangrove forest in
Bali is shown in the table and picture below. The spread of mangrove forest in
Bali is inside and outside forest area. Mangrove forest that is located inside
forest area has an extent that reaches 2004.5 ha and in outside forest area has
an extent about 211 ha.
Mangrove forests located in forest area are:
- Prapat Benoa forest area. Mangrove vegetation is a domination from Prapat Benoa forest. The extent is 1.373,5 ha, including Badung regency of 753,5 ha spreads out in six villages
- In Denpasar area of 620 hectares, it spread out in six villages. Mangrove ecosystem here inside the forest area includes the forest conservation with a status of Forest Park (Tahura) and named Tahura Ngurah Rai.
- West Bali forest area. Mangrove forests in this forest area is a part of the West Bali National Park. The Extent of mangrove forest is 429.00 ha, located in Jembrana Regency, that is Gilimanuk, of 217,00 ha and Buleleng Regency of 212,00 ha located in two villages named Sumberklampok and Pejarakan.
- Nusa Lembongan forest area is located in Nusa Lembongan Island (Klungkung Regency). This whole forest area is an area of mangrove forests about 202.0 ha.
In the Mangrove Information Centre, located on Jalan
Bypass Ngurah Rai, Suwung Kauh or between Kuta and Sanur, you can enjoy taking
some an hour walk easily, safely and comfortably. Even if you don’t have a
special experience or skill, even if you don’t have a pair of ninja-boots, but
with high heels (it does not mean recommendable, of course!), you may not feel
any difficulties in walking on wooden walkway. Total span of the walkway
established by the MIC is about 2 kilometers through plantations and natural
stands of mangrove. From the starting point of the walkways or the Pond Heron
Hut to the end of the walkways or the Tern Hut, it is about a kilometer long
trip to go, and another about a kilometer for back (a half of the route, from
the Little Egret Tower to the Tern Hut, is common for both go and back).
The wooden walkway does not only make it ease for you to
walk, but give you many chances to encounter various unique creatures. Some 50
plant species including 18 species of true mangroves and 15 species of
associates can be closely observed. If you are keen to watch birds, I am sure
to say that you will see, during a round trip, some twenty species of birds out
of nearly 90 species of birds recorded so far. Colorful fiddler crabs and
waggish mudskipper are popular to everyone. Mud lobster, Archer fish, Water
Snake and Monitor Lizard may request you a bit of luck and a great deal of
attention to meet them.
Although the wooden walkway was so carefully constructed
as not to disturb the natural environment, there are and will be also some
minimum, at the same time maximum, facilities, such as huts for resting and
observations, a floating deck, watch towers, a bird watching hide and jetties.
After an hour walk of the Mangrove Trail, you would naturally realize
significance of the Mangrove.
Address of Mangrove
Information Centre at Jl Bypass Ngurah Rai, Pamogan, Denpasar
Website : http://www.mangrovecentre.or.id